This blog is an exploration of principled problem solving which is an initiative at Guilford College encouraging a focus of people's abilities and experiences toward solving real-world problems under the guidance of the college’s core values of community, diversity, equality, excellence, integrity, justice and stewardship.

12/09/2010

Access Everywhere Week Welcomes Rich Curtis and Anne Fox

On Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 Access Everywhere Week welcomed artist Rich Curtis, and Professor Anne Fox, of English and Gender studies at Davidson University to discuss how the importance of Art as an instigation for social change, and how it can be used to reframe the way in which disability issues are viewed in our society. We began the evening looking at the two art exhibits, showing in Boren Lounge, then moved into a discussion surrounding the artwork. Rich Cutis exhibit, “Sight Unseen”, was the winner of the Helen Keller International Prize in 2009. Curtis worked with blind individuals from the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind. While playing music for the individuals, Curtis asked them to draw what they heard. Curtis than textured the paintings in order to make them accessible to a blind population. Anne Fox spoke on behalf of her student Park McArthur, whose exhibit “Presence is Progress” was also on display. “Presence is Progress” is a photo exhibit that came out of Park McArthur’s desire show people of disabilities in public places. Ideas of what we view as normative in our society emerged throughout the discussion of the exhibits. How can we celebrate diversity in society that has not been structured for those with disabilities? What can we do to raise awareness to make this society more inclusive of diversity? The artwork shown gave me great hope that there is a multitude of ways to raise awareness about disability issues. With all of these tools for social change we are bound to see a world that is more accepting of people with disabilities.

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Access Everywhere Week Welcomes Rich Curtis and Anne Fox

On Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 Access Everywhere Week welcomed artist Rich Curtis, and Professor Anne Fox, of English and Gender studies at Davidson University to discuss how the importance of Art as an instigation for social change, and how it can be used to reframe the way in which disability issues are viewed in our society. We began the evening looking at the two art exhibits, showing in Boren Lounge, then moved into a discussion surrounding the artwork. Rich Cutis exhibit, “Sight Unseen”, was the winner of the Helen Keller International Prize in 2009. Curtis worked with blind individuals from the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind. While playing music for the individuals, Curtis asked them to draw what they heard. Curtis than textured the paintings in order to make them accessible to a blind population. Anne Fox spoke on behalf of her student Park McArthur, whose exhibit “Presence is Progress” was also on display. “Presence is Progress” is a photo exhibit that came out of Park McArthur’s desire show people of disabilities in public places. Ideas of what we view as normative in our society emerged throughout the discussion of the exhibits. How can we celebrate diversity in society that has not been structured for those with disabilities? What can we do to raise awareness to make this society more inclusive of diversity? The artwork shown gave me great hope that there is a multitude of ways to raise awareness about disability issues. With all of these tools for social change we are bound to see a world that is more accepting of people with disabilities.